Glasgow pantomime nurse in breach of Geneva Convention

February 2011

TRADE MARKTheatre

A Glasgow theatre has had to change a nurse’s pantomime costume after being told it the use of the Red Cross emblem was breaking the Geneva Convention Act of 1957. The dress worn by Nurse Poltis in the Pavilion Theatre production of The Magical Adventures of Robin Hood, starring Jim Davidson as Robin and Dean Park as Nurse Poltis, originally had red crosses on the hat and tunic but these were changed to green crosses after the British Red Cross informed the theatre it was breaking the law and could face prosecution. A spokesman for the humanitarian organisation told the BBC “We have no desire to be the villains of the pantomime or to appear heavy handed, but we do have a very serious obligation to protect the Red Cross emblem … the emblem is a special sign of neutrality and protection recognised by all sides during armed conflicts” adding “Misuse of that emblem – even when done in an innocent and light-hearted manner – has to be addressed. Repeated and widespread misuse of the Red Cross emblem could dilute its neutrality and its ability to protect”.http://newslite.tv/2011/01/07/pantomime-costume-broke-geneva.htmlhttp://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1989/52/pdfs/ukpga_19890052_en.pdfhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-12135540